Former President Bill Clinton left the hospital Friday morning, just one day after having minor heart surgery.

Clinton was hospitalized on Thursday suffering discomfort in his chest. He underwent surgery to open a clogged heart artery.

Two stents resembling tiny mesh scaffolds were placed inside the artery as part of a medical procedure that is common for people with severe heart disease.

"Over the past several days, he had been having episodes of chest discomfort that were brief in nature, but because they were repetitive, he contacted me and came in," said Dr. Alan Schwartz, a cardiologist at New York Presbyterian Hospital.

Instead of trying to open the blocked bypass, doctors reopened one of his original blocked arteries and inserted the two stents. The procedure took about an hour, and Clinton was able to get up two hours later, Schwartz said.

There was no sign the former president had suffered a heart attack, and the new blockage was not a result of his diet, Schwartz said.

"The procedure went very smoothly," Schwartz said, describing Clinton's prognosis as excellent.

Doctors said the Clinton is in good spirits and could be back at work as soon as Monday.